Although the city has implemented many solutions to ensure environmental sanitation and build a green - clean - beautiful city, in reality, there is still a situation of littering and indiscriminate dumping taking place in many places.
In order to maintain a clean, beautiful, and civilized urban appearance during the 2026 New Year and Binh Ngo Lunar New Year, Hanoi City People's Committee has issued Plan No. 355/KH-UBND dated December 20, 2025, requesting to strengthen management and maintain environmental sanitation throughout the area during peak times. Accordingly, Hanoi City sets a goal to ensure a clean, beautiful, and safe urban environment, serving the needs of living, traveling, and playing of people and tourists; and proactively prevent and prevent the risk of pollution arising from living, producing, and doing business activities.
However, in some areas, especially the suburbs, the situation of littering and burning indiscriminately still occurs, causing environmental pollution and urban unsightliness. On roads such as Pham Tu, Phuc La, the Tien Phuong dike area... although local authorities have installed signs prohibiting littering, accompanied by clear penalties, garbage is still dumped indiscriminately right at the foot of the ban sign.
Along with that, in many suburban areas, domestic waste and construction waste are accumulated for a long time, causing serious environmental pollution. Notably, construction materials such as sand and gravel are scattered all over the road surface; every time vehicles circulate, they are swept away by dusty dust, posing a potential risk of traffic unsafety.
Not only in the suburban area, but also in the center of the Capital, the pressure of garbage during holidays and Tet also increases. After each crowded event, many streets fall into a situation of being filled with garbage. Cans, plastic bottles, plastic cups, styrofoam boxes for food, nylon bags are thrown scattered on the road, on sidewalks and in tree beds, making the urban space become messy, in contrast to the image of a civilized and elegant Capital that Hanoi is aiming for.
According to Mr. Nguyen Tri Luong (in Tan My, Tu Liem ward), every time the My Dinh Stadium area organizes an event, the situation of littering indiscriminately recurs. “After the event ends, the square area in front of My Dinh Stadium is often flooded with garbage. Many people calmly throw plastic cups, straws, and cake crusts right under their feet. Small actions but when combined have created'mountains of garbage' in just one night,” Mr. Luong shared.
In Plan No. 355/KH-UBND, the Hanoi People's Committee requests to strengthen supervision, inspection and strictly handle violations of environmental sanitation, especially at "hot spots" for illegal dumping of garbage and construction waste; transport vehicles that spill soil, sand, and garbage water onto the road. Maintaining environmental discipline during Tet is identified as an important factor contributing to building a civilized and elegant image of the Capital.
Sharing with reporters, Ms. Ninh Thi Loan (environmental sanitation worker in charge of Hoan Kiem Lake area) said that what sanitation workers most desire is still respect and awareness of the people. According to Ms. Loan, the main reason for the rampant waste situation stems from the awareness of a part of the people. "If people are not conscious, the task of sweeping and collecting is just the tip of the iceberg. To solve it at the root, it is necessary for the grassroots government to drastically intervene in propaganda, reminders, and at the same time strictly handle acts of littering and indiscriminate discharge," Ms. Loan said.
Reality shows that if there is no synchronous coordination from local authorities and the joint efforts of the community, no matter how hard the environmental sanitation force tries, the waste situation will still be difficult to thoroughly solve. Strict handling of violations, from illegal dumping of construction waste to littering in public places, needs to be carried out regularly and continuously, avoiding the situation of "hot above, cold below" or just being a movement during peak periods.
